Investigation of Rutland fire, fatality continues

RUTLAND — Investigators returned this morning to the house at 2 Joanna Drive, where the body of a woman was found in the burning building Friday.

Neighbors saw heavy smoke coming out of the two-story Colonial about 7 a.m. and called 911, according to fire officials.

The three-alarm fire was deemed suspicious not long after fire crews extinguished the flames, according to District Attorney Joseph D. Early Jr.'s office.

Investigators this morning have still not revealed the dead woman's identity. The state medical examiner's office will perform an autopsy to determine the cause and manner of the woman's death, said Paul Jarvey, a spokesman for the district attorney. The cause of the fire had also not been determined Friday night.

Authorities initially believed that a woman who lived in the house had died in the fire, and began investigating its cause and origin. By 10 a.m., a criminal investigation had been launched by Massachusetts State Police, the district attorney's office and Rutland police.

Yellow police crime scene tape blocked the house and the road leading to it, which is in a subdivision near the Treasure Valley Scout Reservation.

At one point Friday morning, police issued a "Be on the Lookout" order for a gray or silver 2004 Toyota Highlander seen in the area. Police said they wanted to question the driver in connection with the incident.

Mr. Jarvey said Friday night that didn't know whether authorities were still searching for anyone.

The woman's body was found on the first floor of the house, in a room near the front door, according to Fire Chief Brad Weber.

Mr. Early said Friday afternoon that investigators discovered activity they deemed suspicious, temporarily halted the investigation and applied for a search warrant. They obtained the warrant and five investigators returned to the house with lights about 6 p.m. after darkness had fallen. The lights could be seen from outside the darkened house illuminating the windows as investigators went from one room to another.

About 9:30 p.m., a dog was taken into the house through a side door, and investigators continued to go in and out of that door. Whenever the front door was used, they slipped protective booties over their shoes. The woman's body was brought out the front door on a stretcher by firefighters and investigators a half an hour later.

Mr. Early declined to give specifics on what investigators found that made them suspicious.

Friends and relatives said that Diane Leader was living in the house by herself, following a divorce from her husband, Craig Leader.

A relative who arrived at the house said he was going to help Ms. Leader move out Friday. The garage was stacked full of boxes. The man, who said he was Ms. Leader's cousin, was with a friend, and the two said they were unaware that there even had been a fire.

Investigators then began interviewing the man and, later in the day, had his car towed.

According to records in Worcester Probate and Family Court, Diane Leader-LaMarche, 53, and Craig Leader, 50, were married in 1993. They have two children together. Mr. Leader filed for divorce in 2011, and it became final in February of this year.

The parties had joint legal custody of both children.

Court records indicate the home was being prepared for sale.

Courtney Aquino, 18, a senior at Wachusett Regional High School in neighboring Holden, showed up at the house Friday with her mother.

Ms. Aquino said she is best friends with Ms. Leader's daughter, a classmate at Wachusett Regional, and has known the Leader family for years.

Ms. Aquino said her friend, Mr. and Mrs. Leader's daughter, texted her Friday morning. The text said Mr. Leader had pulled her out of class at Wachusett High. He also pulled her brother, an eighth-grader, out of middle school, Ms. Aquino said.

Ms. Aquino said the two children were living with their father, and were set to move back into the house within the next couple of weeks.

"She loved her kids, she loved her husband, and loved her kids' friends," Ms. Aquino said. "But everything just went bad."

Ms. Leader was apparently going to move to Paxton, Ms. Aquino said.

Chris Roy, a neighbor who lives a few houses away on Joanna Drive, said he noticed two police cruisers driving to the house around 6:30 a.m. He said there had been police activity at the house in the past.

Soon after, he saw smoke coming from the house, and firefighters arriving. Mr. Roy watched the firefighters work from the street corner.

"Rutland Fire Department did an excellent job," Mr. Roy said. He said other towns also responded, and the fire was quickly put out. "It's a shame; it really is," he said.